The Power of Story Workbook

GSBGEN 343 Spring 2016 The Power of Story Workbook Jennifer Aaker General Atlantic Professor of Marketing http://powerofstory.stanford.edu/

Overview “Great stories happen to people who can tell them.” Ira Glass. Stories can be a powerful tool for persuasion, critical for understanding customers, working with team members and building brands. Stories help us in decision making by clarifying what is signal vs. noise. Stories are powerful tools for leaders, who often need to act as editors—shaping the stories told by employees and customers—to align everyone under a shared vision. In this light, your personal stories—both those you share about yourself and those that others share about you—are tools of power, influence and impact. Throughout our lives, the stories we share and the contexts in which they are valuable change. This workbook aims to (a) help you identify your personal signature stories, and (b) provide a roadmap to iterate and improve those stories over the course of the class. Good luck Table of Contents Chapter 1: Six Word Stories (due in class on day 1) ................................................................................... 2 Chapter 2: Three Personal Stories (due in class on day 2) ........................................................................ 6 Chapter 3: Signature Story Draft (due in class on day 3) ......................................................................... 8 Chapter 4: Signature Story Finale (due in class on day 4 for Story Off!) .............................................. 18 3

Ch 1: Six Word Stories Many believe good stories are long, certainly longer than simply sharing data or facts. However, stories can be told in a short, six-word form (e.g., Ernest Hemingway: For sale: baby shoes, never worn). Consider the following different types of six word stories (and their humorous versions): Simple The summer I learned work ethic. description Mind of its own. Damn lawnmower. Evocative Active imagination as a small child. description Was beside myself; cloning machine worked. Shows change A first: finding and losing love. Longed for him. Got him. Shit. (Margaret Atwood) Sensational Realizing I would die one day. Tick tock tick tock tick tick. (Neal Stephenson) 4

Activity A: Instructions. List as many personal stories as you can (in six words or Write your own less). Go for variety. What are the stories that have defined and shaped six word stories you so far in your life—your epic fail story, the “you wouldn’t believe this” story, your hero story, etc. Your goal: Cultivate a personal story bank. Activity B: Instructions. Any story can be told in another genre. For practice, Now with rewrite each of your 6 word stories above, with a touch of humor. some humor What is interesting or peculiar to your story? What evocative details can you highlight? How can you change the lens or dial up the drama. Your goal: View story through a different lens. 5

Ch 1: Story Banking Activity C: Instructions. Often when you ask others family/friends and colleagues to The stories write 6 word stories about you as well, this will illuminate whether there is others share a gap in your perceptions and theirs. of you Your goal: Understand the stories others share about you. Signature stories your family/friends tell about you most often. Signature stories your colleagues tell about you most often. Is there a gap between the stories in your personal story bank and those that others share about you? 6

Activity D: Instructions. Write down potential (not yet lived) stories. Where do you Future Stories want to go? What do you want to achieve? Who do you want to be? Who is with you in those stories? After you write these imagined future stories, jot down any common themes or “throughlines” you found across all the stories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_line), which shed insight on persistent values or traits that define you. Your goal: Design a story to aspire to. Future Stories (stories you would want to come true in the next 10-20 years) Common themes: Are there any common themes in the stories you have written down so far? Lastly, look over all your responses to activities A-D, and now write a 6 word story that you think might best represent you—your essence. Now again rewrite it, with a touch of humor. 7

Ch 2: Three Personal Stories Now that you are warmed up, draft three possible stories (6 sentences or less) that are potential contenders for the 1 minute Commencement Speech story. They could be funny, inspirational or meaningful. View Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech stories for inspiration. Steve Jobs Commencement Speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc Three tips when drafting your three possible stories. First, go back to the stories you listed in Chapter 1, and the throughlines you identified as they might illuminate where you are going. Second, consider imagining your “personal heroic journey.” How do you do that? Anticipate potential challenges in your future, as well as possible revelations and transformations. Then reverse-engineer a story that resonates with that future you imagined. Third, share your three stories with a partner for rapid feedback based on these criterion: (1) Is your goal clear? (2) Is there a hook? (3) Is it authentic and compelling to the audience? (4) Does the audience know what to do, think or feel after the story? After your partners feedback, you will pick one of the stories to be your Commencement Speech Story to further develop. 8

Story A Title: Story B Title: Story C Title: 9

Ch 3: Signature Story Draft Activity A Instructions. Now that you have picked your signature story—the one you will share for the Story Off!—here are some activities to help you write the first draft. Describe the Setting Where does the story take place? When does the story take place? 10

Know Your Characters Describe the protagonist (he/she is probably you!) in detail. Describe the secondary character (if any) in detail. 11

Ch 3: Build the Story Arc Activity B Instructions. Now create a Story Spine (Kenn Adams), which is a tool to help create a well-constructed story with a beginning that establishes a routine, an event that breaks the routine, a middle that shows the consequences of having broken the routine, a climax that sets the resolution to the story in motion, and resolution. Specifically: The Beginning that establishes the routine: Once upon a time... Every day... The Event that breaks the routine: But, one day... The Middle that shows the consequences of having broken the routine: Because of that... And because of that... The Climax that sets the resolution to the story in motion: Until, finally... The Resolution And, ever since then… 12

Now with the framework provided on the left, build your story arc below: 13

Ch 3: Storyboard Activity C: Instructions. Create four slides that represent key scenes of your story. Storyboard If you don’t like to draw, tell a visual story (e.g., take photos, paste images). Before finalizing your storyboard—remove anything that is not necessary. 1. 2. 14

3. 4. 15

Ch 3: Write your Story Draft Activity D: Instructions. Now write your story (est. 400 words). Although it is Write tempting to skip writing a title, opening, or conclusion at this state in the creative process, keep in mind that these elements anchor your story and should not be overlooked. 16

Ch 3: Share and Listen Activity E: Instructions. Listening to stories is as great as telling them. Ethnographers Share and Listen have a great skill for eliciting stories from people and drawing meaning from them. Practice this skill by listening to your partner’s story, and then share your story with your partner. Use the below to provide feedback on the story. Likes: Wishes: 18

Rate the story using these scales: Not Very at all much Communicated 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 a goal Grabbed their 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 attention Made an emotional 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 connection Inspired them to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 do something Write down: What would you title the story? What was the hook that drew you in? When were you most engaged? What did they want to do (think or feel) after they heard the story? 19

Ch 4: Signature Story Finale for Story Off! (1) Tape your story, watch yourself in front a mirror or pitch to a friend or partner in class. (2) Add nuance, refine vocabulary, and ensure the right details are left in but the superfluous ones are eliminated. As a prompt, revisit the toolkit cards to the right. (3) Practice, integrate, iterate, practice more. (4) Submit the written version of your story (400 words) on the course website at noon day 4. During class, you will deliver your 1 minute speech (no visual aids), and vote on the most engaging, inspirational stories in groups. Big prizes for the winners of the Story Off so get ready! 20

E Step back from your E Know who you’re talking to Y Keeping your goals story and ask the obvious and understand what moves clear increases your odds R questions: What does it them. This will make it easier T of success and momentum. mean? Why is it important? to craft your story. Tailor your I Seek examples of clairty in U How does it change the NCstory to fit the needs of your R the wild and learn from T perspective of the person E target audience. A story’s the best. hearing it or reading it? I theme should speak to a A Your story will gain a greater specific audience. IC audience and have more impact if it is unique CL P or unusual. UD IG A B T The conflict should be You can choose to tell the X Find the climax first. Why? the main problem you’re W story in the way that has the It’s the best part of the story highlighting in the story. most impact; chronological A to hear—which typically IC Make sure that the conflict O time is irrelevant. Just make means it’s the easiest part of L ties into the spine of the L sure your story flows. Focus the story to write. You can F story and is properly set up on answering the questions M then decide whether to use in the beginning. Remember F on people’s minds. I the story’s climax to grab N to solve the conflict and Note—you’ll likely iterate on attention or end the story demonstrate why it’s flow in the story structure at CL with a bang. O significant by the end of least three times. C the story. Y Brevity allows the audiences Stop the story when you Y Write out the story and to make inferences, and have said enough to convey read it out loud. Ruthlessly T makes the audience feel your message. You don’t R edit your story to take out I respected. Brevity mystifies. NDalways need to answer all the E the stuff that really doesn’t E questions in your story. This matter, even if you fall in V leaves them asking for more. V love with it. Get to the point E I quickly, but not without L stretching out some detail to build suspense and pacing. BR E Give yourself the time to D revise, and practice your delivery. Rehearse until you wouldn’t change a single word. 21

Inspiration The Story Factor Annette Simmons The Power of Personal Storytelling Jack Maguire The Art of Storytelling John Walsh The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling Stephen Denning The Dragonfly Effect Jennifer Aaker & Andy Smith Slide:ology Nancy Duarte 22

Resonate Nancy Duarte Story Telling as Best Practice Andy Goodman Improving your Storytelling Doug Lipman Story Robert McKee Made to Stick Chip & Dan Heath We Feel Fine Jonathan Harris & Sep Kamvar 23

Notes 24